plastid

[ plas-tid ]

noun

, Cell Biology.

1. a small, double-membraned organelle of plant cells and certain protists, occurring in several varieties, as the chloroplast, and containing ribosomes, prokaryotic DNA, and, often, pigment.

plastid

/ ˈplæstɪd /

noun

1. See chromoplast
   any of various small particles in the cytoplasm of the cells of plants and some animals that contain pigments, starch, oil, protein, etc See chromoplast

plastid

/ plăs′tĭd /

1. An organelle found in the cells of plants, green algae, red algae, and certain other protists. Like mitochondria, plastids have an inner and outer membrane, and contain their own DNA and ribosomes. Some plastids, such as the chloroplasts in plant leaves, contain pigments.

Word History and Origins

Origin of plastid¹

1875–80; < German Plastide < Greek plastid-, stem of plástis, feminine derivative of plástēs modeler, creator, derivative of plássein to form

Word History and Origins

Origin of plastid¹

C19: via German from Greek plastēs sculptor, from plassein to form

Example Sentences

Even malaria parasites still carry a plastid genome, Molina noted, and their last photosynthetic ancestor lived hundreds of millions of years ago.

From Quanta Magazine

As the tissue organization in the graft reestablished itself, the plastids returned to the normal size for chloroplasts.

From Quanta Magazine

The unnucleated plastid might be called primitive cell (protocytos), and the ordinary nucleated one the nuclear cell (caryocytos).

From Project Gutenberg

Vacuoles are seen in cells; and there is an opinion that these may be a special kind of plastid: some vacuoles pulsate.

From Project Gutenberg